You, you and they: three steps of politeness
Tamil does not have two pronouns of address but three, and the third is the one English has no slot for at all. For example: “நீங்க எப்ப வருவீங்க?” — When will you come?. A rule from the Tamil course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Tamil does not have two pronouns of address but three, and the third is the one English has no slot for at all.
The first: நீ (nī) — 'thou', the intimate 'you'. Only with children, younger people and close friends. Saying நீ to a stranger is not casualness but plain rudeness.
The second: நீங்க (nīṅga) — the polite 'you'. It is used with everyone you do not know and with most people you do. This is the working form of the language, and when in doubt, it is the one you need.
The third step is respect for the absent: about a person one respects one speaks in the plural, அவங்க (avaṅga), with the verb in -ஆங்க: அவங்க ஆசிரியர் (avaṅga āsiriyar) — 'he (or she) is a teacher'. The bare அவன் (avaṉ)/அவள் (avaḷ) sound harsh without respect, and about an elder it is best not to touch them at all.
A request is made with the ending -உங்க (-uṅga): இருங்க (iruṅga) 'wait', சொல்லுங்க (solluṅga) 'say', வாங்க (vāṅga) 'come in'. A prohibition — with the ending -ஆதீங்க: தொடாதீங்க (toḍādīṅga) 'do not touch'. The word 'please' is usually not added: the politeness is already inside the ending.
Table
| To whom | Pronoun | Request 'wait' |
|---|---|---|
| to a child, a friend | நீ | இரு |
| to a stranger, an elder | நீங்க | இருங்க |
| about a person, with respect | அவங்க | — |
By example
- நீங்க எப்ப வருவீங்க?nīṅga eppa varuvīṅga?When will you come?
- அவங்க ஆசிரியர்avaṅga āsiriyarHe (she) is a teacher — with respect
- கொஞ்சம் இருங்கkoñcam iruṅgaWait a little
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Nee vs neenga in Tamil?
Tamil does not have two pronouns of address but three, and the third is the one English has no slot for at all.
Three steps of politeness in Tamil?
The first: நீ — 'thou', the intimate 'you'. Only with children, younger people and close friends. Saying நீ to a stranger is not casualness but plain rudeness.
How to address a Tamil speaker politely?
The second: நீங்க — the polite 'you'. It is used with everyone you do not know and with most people you do. This is the working form of the language, and when in doubt, it is the one you need.
Why an elder is spoken of as avanga?
The third step is respect for the absent: about a person one respects one speaks in the plural, அவங்க, with the verb in -ஆங்க: அவங்க ஆசிரியர் — 'he (or she) is a teacher'. The bare அவன்/அவள் sound harsh without respect, and about an elder it is best not to touch them at all.
What does it look like in an example sentence Tamil?
“நீங்க எப்ப வருவீங்க?” (nīṅga eppa varuvīṅga?) — When will you come?. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.